Lynch also announced Rhino Entertainment will distribute the DVD and retained PR awards specialist mPRm Public Relations, which handled Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive.”

Lynch bought the North American rights to “Inland Empire” last month from French producer Studio Canal with the goal of distributing the pic himself. “Empire” interweaves several plot strands, including a fictitious film project, a sitcom with characters in bunny costumes and Polish prostitutes.

Lynch said Tuesday he’s enthused by the do-it-yourself element of the release.

“For the first time since ‘Eraserhead’ I can start meeting the theater owners again, the ones at the end of the chain that have played my films over the years and helped me out,” Lynch said.